20 Thursday Jun 2019
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$38, 4 stars, 90 points, california, livermore, orange muscat
Very pale yellow. Blood oranges, gardenia, rose water all hit my nose- from a foot away. This is very aromatic. On the palate it tastes just it smells- plus lychee. Delicious and tight. 90 points and 4 stars even though it’s a bit pricey at $38, it’s a treat. Salut….
20 Thursday Jun 2019
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Golden yellow in the glass. The nose is chock full of citrus and pineapple. On the palate I get a tinge of butter alongside the citrus notes and elderberry. 90 points, $48 makes this a 3 star wine. Sip with grilled prawns. Salut….
20 Thursday Jun 2019
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$38, 2 stars, 89 points, california, livermore, Sauvignon blanc
Very light gold in the glass. A sweet nectar nose with honeysuckle, peach stone and cut grass. On the palate it is a touch biting with some nice acidity to go along with the grapefruit. 89 points and 2 stars for this $38 white. Salut….
20 Thursday Jun 2019
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This is the first of several notes I made when I visited Murietta’s Well Winery in Livermore, California. I was greeted at the entrance by the hostess who offered me a glass of this. Medium yellow in the glass with a great, fresh nose of melon, lemon curd and pineapple. On the palate it’s a little thinner than expected but still very fresh. Lithe acidity. 88 points and 2 stars for this $26 blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Orange Muscat, Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat Canelli. Salut….
09 Sunday Jun 2019
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$48, 4 stars, 92 points, cabernet sauvignon, california, Napa, napa cabernet
Bright purple with nice legs in the glass. Sweet blackberries on the nose with a vanilla bean twist. On the palate it is crisp, dry and delicious. Black cherry jam with blackberries topped with some espresso beans. The mid is more blueberries and plum, the tannins smoothing out. The finish has black fruits, tea, olive and a good whack of tannic grip. There’s a lot going on here folks, very intricate. 92 points and 4 stars for this $48 Napa beauty. Drink till 2030. Salut….
09 Sunday Jun 2019
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Dark shades of purple in the glass. The nose is overflowing with blackberries. There’s a slight oak tint as well as blueberry torte once the blackberry subsided. On the palate it is a touch astringent right up front but good fruit structure rolls in as well as some gripping tannins. Black stone fruits are the main focus, with violets and cranberries- for their tartness- seem to coexist. The tannins are relentless. Aerating would be key here unless you have a fatty, juicy steak. Nice finish with blackberry and dry tea. Astringent as heck but mouth watering and tasty. 90 points and 4 stars for this $40 effort. Drink till 2025. Salut….
28 Sunday Apr 2019
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Quite dark but still see through in the glass. The nose gives off black cherry, blackberries and bacon. On the palate there’s black fruits, a hint of almond, lithe tannins and a balanced acidic component. The mid palate is kinda blasé, it’s just a continuation of the initial palate. The finish gives me rooibos tea with some tannic bite and a cherry licorice note. A decent wine that I would pair with Salmon steaks, Shish Kebab or Alfredo. 88 points and $16 put it in 3 star territory. Salut….
28 Sunday Apr 2019
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Medium shade of gold in the glass. The nose has definitely got butter. Marzipan, banana and lemon peel also feature. On the palate it is very round, tasty and full bodied. That marzipan comes back at me with lemon, beeswax and oak staves. The mid palate shows some citrus and floral components that move on to the finish. I get almost a tannic bite right at the end- interesting. Very easy to drink without a huge dose of acidity. It’s a nice aperitif and will pair well with my grilled hens and bacon draped Brussel sprouts. 89 points and 5 stars if you like this style of oaky Chard that sells for $14. Drink now. Salut….$14
25 Thursday Apr 2019
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In the glass this wine is textbook Pinot Noir- bright red, see-through with lithe legs. On the nose I get cherry cola, strawberry and faint wood. On the palate it screams New World Pinot with strawberry coulis, bing cherry and delightful tannins that ease into a full blown black tea extravaganza that leave my gums puckered and my teeth thoroughly dry. The mid palate turns a little blue on me with berries and tar. The finish is back to the original strawberry/cherry combo that I love. The finish is long with nice balanced acidity offsetting the tannins. 91 points for this $20 wine makes it a 5 star effort IMHO. Drink now till 2027. I am pairing it with roasted Cornish Hens, baked Sweet Potatoes with Feta and sautéed Zucchini. Salut….
25 Thursday Apr 2019
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Beautiful dark, nearly black in the glass. The nose gives off blackcurrants, loads of them, and with a good swirl I also get eucalyptus as well as pine needle. On the palate it is slightly sweet with those blackcurrants really out front. Very gentle tannins are evident from the onset, but they quickly disappear. There is a hint of oak, barely perceptible that adds to this somewhat one-dimensional wine. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very tasty and easy to drink. It transitions to the finish on the same notes I got initially, without much acidity, which troubles me. This is a nice everyday, easygoing quaffer that you could pop-n-pour every night of the week. Party wine for sure. At $13 it’s not a steep price to pay for this 87 point wine that gets 3 stars from me. Drink now with most light fair. Salut….
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